


Behind The Grumpy Act

by rk_deviant_800



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Fluff, Gavin but he's not an asshole for once, Gavin has a pitbull named Lola, Gavin is basically Natsuki, Gen, Mutual Pining? I guess, Soft!Gavin, Tsundere Gavin Reed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-03-17
Packaged: 2019-11-21 14:27:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18143411
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rk_deviant_800/pseuds/rk_deviant_800
Summary: There was more to Gavin then he let on. Connor learns that one night at the detective's apartment.





	Behind The Grumpy Act

“Fuck off, Anderson.”

Connor watched as Gavin flipped off Hank once again. As usual, he was normal grumpy self. He stomped past Connor and growled before the android could get a word out. It made Connor curious. Was he always like that or was there more to the detective than he lets on? He doesn’t know. His curiosity gets the best of him and he scans Gavin. Despite how’s he acting right now, there’s no signs of him actually being grumpy. Tired, maybe but nothing else more. Connor scans him again later when he spots the detective having his fourth cup of coffee in the break room with Tina. The scan tells him that Gavin is showing signs of playfulness. That confuses Connor. Wasn’t Gavin just grumpy before he walked into the breakroom? Somehow, it’s like he just changed his attitude. Currently, he was chatting and laughing with Tina. His laughter echoed in the break room and Connor could faintly hear it. It didn’t sound like the sarcastic laugh that Gavin usually gave him. It sounded more…playful and joking. That just confused him even more. He was about to do another scan but the sharp voice of Fowler calling his and Gavin’s name interrupted him. He stood up from his desk and walked over to the break room. He peeked in and found Gavin still talking to Tina.

“Excuse me, Detective. The captain wants us in his office right now.” Connor called, waiting patiently by the door.

In the blink of an eye, Gavin was grumpy once again.

“Yeah, yeah. I’m coming, tin can.” he grumbled.

The detective tossed his coffee way and waved good bye to Tina, sending her a small smile before following Connor to Fowler’s office. Fowler got straight to the point and told them they were being sent to apprehend a suspect. It was supposed to be Hank with Connor, but the lieutenant was recovering from last week’s wounds, leaving him on desk duty. Once Fowler finished telling them what they needed to know, Connor waited for Gavin to explode in anger and demand to ask someone else. But he didn’t. He just sighed and nodded. Odd. The last several times Connor was partnered with him, Gavin had gotten angry and Fowler had to talk him down. Today, however, seemed different. After Fowler quickly briefed them, they were dismissed and the two left to go to the location given to them. The car ride there was mostly quiet save for Gavin humming along to the radio. This made Connor even more confused. Where was grumpy Gavin?

“Hey! Tin can! Are you listening? We gotta go!” Gavin called, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“Huh? Oh, right. Apologies, Gavin.” Connor answered, flushing blue.

Gavin rolled his eyes and stepped out of the car. Connor followed. They walked into a run-down restaurant and sat at a table nearby. The suspect sat across from their table. Connor fidgeted, playing with his own fingers and wishing he had his coin instead. Gavin sighed in annoyance.

“Fucking stop that.” he grumbled.

“S-Sorry. I need something to calibrate and I have nothing to occupy myself.” Connor stammered quietly.

Gavin sighed and fished a coin out of his pocket.

“Here. And don’t bother giving it back, I don’t need it.” Gavin mumbled, handing the coin to Connor with a flushed face.

Connor gave surprised look but a took the coin and quietly rolled it across his knuckles, sending the detective a tiny smile. Gavin just scowled and looked away red-faced. Several minutes then passed before their suspect stood up. Gavin nudged Connor and they also stood up, following the man out of the restaurant. They walked for a few moments before the man realized he was being followed and began to bolt. Connor and Gavin did not hesitate in sprinting after him. They chased after the suspect and cornered him in an alleyway. Gavin began talking the man down while Connor kept tabs on the man’s stress. He then noticed the man reaching behind his back and slipping his gun out. In a flash, Connor shielded Gavin just as the man drew his gun and fired it. The android cried out as the bullet buried itself into his back. But he pushed through it and let go of Gavin before tackling the suspect and cuffing him. The suspect grumbled as Connor made the call. Several minutes later saw the suspect being driven away while Connor and Gavin began walking away from the crime scene. Neither of them said anything and only glanced at each other now and then. Gavin could see Connor’s crimson LED. Connor could read Gavin’s stress levels slowly decreasing. They returned to Gavin’s car and rode back to the precinct silently. When they arrived there, Connor thanked Gavin and immediately went to Hank who fretted over him and the wound his back. After that, Connor returned to doing desk work until another case was handed to him and Gavin. He stayed behind while Hank went home, grumbling about the android being stuck with Gavin. Connor was finishing up his last report for the day when Gavin approached his desk.

“Hey, Connor!” he called, getting the android’s attention.

“Yes, Detective Reed?” Connor answered, looking up from his terminal.

He watched as Gavin came to stand by his desk. The detective shifted a bit, strangely nervous to say what was on his mind.

“Um, since there’s not much to do here, maybe we can look at the casefile at my place? I know Anderson might not like me coming over to his place. B-But don’t get any fucking ideas! We’re only working, tin can! N-Nothing more. So uh, do you wanna come over?” Gavin asked, stammering with his words.

Connor smiled and Gavin’s heart pounded as he waited for rejection.

“Of course, Detective. It would be more comfortable then being here all night.” Connor answered.

Gavin felt a wave of relief wash over him. He waited for Connor to finished then the two of them got in his car and headed to the detective’s apartment. Another silent ride passed by. When they got there, the detective unlocked the door and what happened next surprised Connor. As the door swung open, Gavin tossed his keys on the table nearby.

“Lola! I’m home, girl!” he called.

Before Connor could ask or scan, the sound of skidding echoed in the apartment and a large grey pit-bull came bounded through living area. She barked happily and tackled Gavin to the floor, making the detective laugh and throw his arms around her.

“Aww, I missed you too!” he cooed, forgetting for a moment that Connor was there.

“You never told me you had a dog too, Detective.” Connor said, watching as Gavin laughed and let the pit-bull go.

“I thought you would have scanned the dog hairs on my chair too.”

Connor blinked in surprise. He was waiting for Gavin to explode again when he commented about that, but he didn’t. Why was Gavin so…calm lately?

“O-Oh. Well, I would but you get mad when I scan you, so I didn’t do it anymore.” Connor answered sheepishly.

“Oh yeah. I remember. Anyway, wanna pet her? She’s very sweet.”

Connor’s LED flickered to yellow for a moment. An ‘are you sure’ look crossed his face and Gavin answered it with a nod. The android knelt down, and the dog happily sat in from him, sniffing his hand when he held it out. Once the dog deemed him ok, Connor gently brushed a hand over her head. Her fur was as soft as Sumo’s. After petting the dog for a few moments, Connor stood up.

“Shall we go over the case files now, Detective?” he asked.

“Huh? Y-Yeah, sure. And just call me Gavin since we’re not at work anyway.” Gavin answered, hiding a blush.

Connor nodded and moved to sit down at the living area, opening the file as he settled in. Gavin disappeared for a moment and returned in a pair of sweats and a black tank top. He sat by Connor and said nothing as he picked up part of the file. For the next hour, they went through the files. Now and then they’d share info or ask questions. It was nice to work together without any trouble or meltdowns. Another hour passed before Gavin’s stomach began to rumble. He placed the files down and stood up, stretching before shuffling to the kitchen.

“You want anything, Connor? Or are you one of those androids that can’t eat?” Gavin asked, rummaging through the cabinets.

“You really don’t have to make me anything.” Connor answered back shyly, though he was kind of hungry.

“No, no. Let me. I don’t want to be a shitty host.”

Connor opened his mouth to protest again but closed it when he saw the smile on Gavin’s face. He decided he liked it better when the detective didn’t take his anger out on him. He gave the detective a nod. Gavin said nothing more and returned to rummaging through the cabinets. Connor watched as he moved about the kitchen, pulling things out and setting them on the counter. His curiosity got the better of him and he got up from the couch, moving to the kitchen to perch himself on the counter. Gavin looked up for a moment and smiled at him. Connor could only smile back and watch Gavin do his thing.

“Hm, do you like cupcakes?” Gavin asked, mixing something in a bowl.

“I’ve never had one. Are they good?” Connor replied, curiosity piqued.

“You’re going to love them. Wanna help?”

Connor nodded and hopped off the counter, joining the detective in the kitchen. He let Gavin guide him through the process and before he knew it, he was putting cupcakes in the oven with Gavin. The two then sat at the kitchen island and waited.

“This is…fun.” Connor said as he watched the oven door, a smile on his face.

“It is. I’m kinda glad I invited you over…uh, b-but it’s not like I l-like you or anything! Don’t get any ideas, tin can!” Gavin stuttered, face turning red.

Connor giggled. Gavin, he thought, was adorable when flustered.

“It’s ok. I actually like spending time with you.” Connor shot back with a smile.

“Huh? W-What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Gavin startled, crossing his arms as his face reddened even more.

Connor giggled once again.

“Nothing. It’s just that you’re fun to be with when you’re not grumpy all the time.” he answered, beaming at the detective.

“W-Whatever, tin can.” Gavin muttered, hiding his face again.

Connor was about to reply when the oven went off. Gavin hopped off of his stool and moved to open the oven the door. A sweet aroma filled the air as he pulled the trays out and set hem in front of Connor. Connor stared at them with a curious gaze, his mouth watering from the sweet smell.

“What now?” Connor asked, trying not drool over them.

“Well, we gotta decorate them.” Gavin answered, pulling out some icing bags and pieces of chocolate.

Connor lit up and watched as Gavin claimed one and began covering it in icing. Connor copied him on a cupcake of his own. An hour later saw them finished with the decorating. The cupcakes each had a little cat face with chocolate pieces for ears and whiskers. Connor couldn’t help but save a picture of it to his memory.

“Now can we eat it?” Connor asked, staring at them again.

“Yeah!” Gavin answered happily with a chuckle.

Connor wasted no time and picked one of out of the tray. He held it up and took a big bite. His eyes lit up as he tasted the frosting and the cake. He decided that cupcakes were one of his favorite foods. He let out a sound of delight and finished the rest of his cupcake, smearing ice all over his mouth and face. Gavin looked up from his own cupcake to see Connor on his second one already. He chuckled and set his down, reaching for the towel nearby.

“Hold still. Ya got icing all over face.” he muttered, wiping it away.

Connor watched as Gavin pressed the towel onto his cheek, wiping some more icing off. His own eyes found Gavin’s. Gavin paused, the towel still pressed against Connor’s face. The two stared at each other for a moment, not saying a word.

“You know, this is nice. I mean, I like looking at you.” Connor admitted bluntly after a beat of silence.

Gavin pulled back, nearly dropping the towel.

“S-Shut the fuck up! You can’t just say that shit!” he stammered, dropping the towel and looking away again.

“Would you rather I lie then?” Connor asked, tilting his head with a smile.

“N-No! But…tch, whatever! Tin can! Let’s just get back to the case file.”

Connor chuckled and followed the detective back to the living area. The next few hours went by as they reviewed the case and bantered in between. Once they finished reviewing the last part of the file, Gavin stood up to clean the kitchen while Connor remained on the couch with Lola. It was quiet for a moment before Connor decided to speak.

“Hey, Gavin?” he started.

“Yeah?” came the detective’s reply without looking away from what he was doing.

“You seem to be in a good mood. You have been all morning, despite the grumpy look you had on your face. Did something happen?”

Gavin stopped for a moment and sighed.

“Not really. I just…I’ve been trying to be…a lot less harsh, especially now that your kind are people too. And…because of what you told me. This…is me giving you a second chance, to make up for what I did to you. I was just scared they were going to throw me out when you came to the precinct. I wouldn’t know what to do after that. This job is the only good thing I have left. Well, that and Lola.” he confessed.

“Oh. After what _I_ did to you in the archive, I thought you wouldn’t give me that chance. I really wanted to fix things with you but every time I came near, you scowled and left. And to be honest, I’m scared of being replaced too. Unlike you, once they call me in, I won’t be coming back after that. Once I’m destroyed, that’s it. Then they’ll call in the next series-the rk900 androids. I’ll just be scrapped.” Connor replied in return, fiddling with his coin again.

“I…I never knew. Shit, tin can. I only put the grumpy act on in an attempt to scare you off. I never meant to hurt you. I’m just shit at emotions. I’m not really one to show them to the world, only to those I trust.”

“Like Tina and Chris?”

“Yeah.”

A beat of silence passed.

“What about me? You showed so much of yourself that I’ve never known before. Does that mean… you trust me too?” Connor asked, a tiny smile on his face.

“Only if you promise to keep this between us.” Gavin answered, a smirk on his own face.

“I promise.”

With that, Connor began cleaning up the case files and organizing them while Gavin finished cleaning up the kitchen. When that was done, Connor got up to leave. But Gavin stopped him.

“You don’t have to leave. It’s late anyway.” he mumbled, holding onto Connor’s sleeve.

“A-Are you sure? Hank might worry.” Connor replied.

“Just let him know you’re staying for the night. If he gives me shit for it tomorrow, then so be it.”

“If you say so.”

Once Connor sent the message, he got reply back from Hank who told him to watch himself and be home early tomorrow. Gavin got a chuckle out of Hank’s worry. When that was done, Gavin gave Connor some pajamas to borrow and then the two snuggled up on the couch. Gavin didn’t feel like leaving Connor by himself. Connor doesn’t know how he managed to end up in Gavin’s arms with Lola at his side but, it was nice. He liked it.

“Hey, Gavin?” Connor whispered, resting his head against the detective’s chest and listening to his heartbeat.

“Yeah, Con?” came Gavin’s tired voice.

“I like being in your arms. It’s nice and warm. Like you.”

Connor couldn’t see his face, but he knew that the detective was blushing again.

“S-Shut up! It’s not like I’m enjoying too or anything! T-This doesn’t mean anything, and I totally don’t l-like you, tin can!”

Connor chuckled and just snuggled up to him more.

“I know, Gavin.”


End file.
